Stonington Girls Hang Tough, But Fall in Class M Tournament

On the scoreboard, it may have seemed like a runaway, but Stonington's second-round game in the Class M girls basketball tournament was anything but.

After a long ride to the northern border of the state, the Bears quickly fell behind 11-2 to undefeated and second-seeded Enfield. Rather than folding, however, Stonington clawed back into the game, at one point grabbing a four-point lead before heading into halftime with a 28-27 advantage.

After intermission, the Raiders unleashed a long-range attack, connecting for a quartet of three-point shots in the third quarter en route to a 70-48 victory and a berth in the state quarterfinals.

With UConn women's basketball associate head coach Chris Dailey and former UConn star Kara Wolters among the large crowd, Stonington senior guard Tatyana LaFrance-Boyce put on a show, tallying 14 points in the first half en route to a game-high 26. However, the Bears could not overcome a 24-12 third-quarter advantage for Enfield, enabling the hosts to gradually pull away.

Freshmen Aliza Bell and Kate Johnson provided a glimpse into Stonington's bright future, netting eight and seven points, respectively.

The Bears finished with a 14-8 record.

Photo credits: Tim Jensen